Crane safety highlighted at CSB, other sites

by Mary
Helen YarboroughPublic
Relations
A 70-ton hydraulic crane stretched 167 feet over the Emergency
Department (ED) parking lot lifting pieces of a metal platform to place
atop the Clinical Sciences Building on Aug. 7. The platform is needed
to provide facilities workers access to a new air handling system that
was installed on the ninth floor earlier this year.

While the crane was on site, patients, visitors, ED and hospital staff
were diverted around the area to ensure safety.

While not new, crane safety has taken on a whole new meaning in recent
months.

Deadly crane collapses in New York, Texas and Oklahoma this year have
enhanced already vigorous safety efforts by MUSC’s Engineering and
Facilities (E&F).

Bud McPartlin, an E&F project inspector, suspects that cranes
collapse normally due to poor maintenance. He currently is the
inspector on six other projects.

Meanwhile, the winter crane collapse that killed seven people in
Manhattan was linked to a broken nylon strap used to support the heavy
loads during a lift.

Cranes, such as those used at MUSC, are equipped with a computer that
monitors the weight of the load and will shut down a crane if the load
exceeds its capacity.

“This prevents the crane from toppling over,” said McPartlin. Within
two weeks, at least four different cranes in several cities, including
Houston and Austin, toppled during construction operations killing
seven people.

“We contract out to Limehouse [and Sons] on a per-job bid. All the
cranes that MUSC uses for our projects are based on a lowest bid. The
crane used for this evolution was part of a contract with CR Hipp
Construction. Limehouse is probably one of the better ones,” in terms
of maintenance and safety records, McPartlin said. “MUSC has used
cranes from various local companies and we have not experienced any
type of safety incident.”

On some days, cranes can be spotted peaking from nearly every corner of
the campus. Currently, two are in use in the construction of the new
Dental Medicine building. Cranes often are deployed to Sabin Street and
other locations where capital improvement projects are underway.

“The most crane work we do is on Saturday and Sunday when vehicle and
pedestrian traffic is minimal,” McPartlin said.

When the crane had to occupy part of the ED parking lot, which it did
five times this year; E&F and Parking Management made sure that
ambulances have priority and are given ample clearance around the
construction site.

Red caution tape was wrapped around off-limits areas, including the
second floor catwalk access; and facilities and parking officials
directed pedestrians to safety during lifts.

No further crane work is anticipated at the Clinical Sciences Building,
McPartlin said.

Friday, Aug. 15, 2008Catalyst Online is published weekly,
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